Simple repeater mechanism for clocks and watches



J. VOLPO SIIPLE RBPEATER MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS AND WATCHES FiledApril 24. 192: 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PER Oct. 6, 1925. 1,556,184

J. VOLPO) SIIPLE REPE ATER MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS AND WATCHES Filed April 24. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In vawnu. Janna you-a PM f Ir raj/vars Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB VOLPO, OF JERUSALEM, PALESTINE.

Application filed April 24, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, Jaooe Vonro, a subject of Spain, residing at Jerusalem, l alestine, have invented a new and useful Simple Repeater Mechanism for (looks and Watches, of which the following is a speciticat-ion.

This invention relates to repeater mechanism for timepieces, and more particulan ly to repeater mechanism in which each stroke oi the striking mechanism is made by hand, thus avoiding the necessity for a spring motor with its accompanying speed regulator and cumbersome driving gear.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified construct-ion of repeater mechanism of the character above set forth.

An important specific object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the hour striking mechanism is actuated by a toothed rack which is advanced step by tep by hand actuated means through a distance determined by means controlled by the time piece.

Another object of the invention is to provide a second toothed rack adapted to be moved by the first toothed rack to actuate a quarter hour striking mechanism.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a locking device adapted to lock the mechanism when the toothed rack is fully advanced and capable of being actuated by hand to release the mechanism thereatter when required.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention finds embodiment in the construction and arrangement of parts now to be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which 1- Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the mechanism in the normal or rest position, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the mechanism about to begin the striking operation.

As shown in the d awings. the mechanism com ises a toothed rack I mounted to rock about pivot or arbor 2 under the action of a spring 3. The rack 1 is formed with an arm 4 and urged by the spring 3 to rock inwardly to bring the arm 4 into engagement with a stepped cam 5 as shown The rack 1. is f rmed with. teet 6 which are s aced eoui'listantlv alone an arc of a circle having its centre at the point 2,

i, SIMPLE REPEATER MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS AND WATCHES.

Serial No. 634,280.

and is adapted to be advanced outwardly step by step against the action of the spring o by a hand actuated ratchet device eo1isisung ot a pawl 7 pivoted on a lever 8, wh ch is to crumeu at 8*; and is formed at its free end with a knob 9. The lever urged illLU the position shown in Fig. by a spring 1Q, but is adapted to be moved one the position shown in Fig. 1 by downv-iard pressure on the knob 9. The paw] normally held in the position shown in 1g. 2. by a spring 11 011 the lever 8, but is capable of being rocked to the right (as seen iii the drawings) against the action oi the sprii 11. As the arm 8 swings downwardly upon depression of the knob 9, the pawl '7 swings bodily about the pivot t5, and by engagement with one of the teeth 6 advances the rack l outwardly against the action of the spring 3 through the space of one tooth. When the operator releases the knob 9, the arm 8 is returned to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the pawl 7 trips over the tooth (3 next behind that which was engaged by the pawl during the downward movement 01' the lever 8 and takes up the position shown in Fig. 2 in which it lies clear of the path of the teeth 6. In order to prevent the rack 1 from be- ",g moved inwardly by the spring 3 during e return movement of the lever 8, a pawl is provided, which is fulcrumed at 13 and is urged into engagement with the teeth 6 by a spring 14: actingon a tail 15 formed on the pawl.

ilhe rack 1 is adagted to actuate a striker 16 mounted on a fixed pivot 17 and acted on by a spring 18. he striker 16 is pressed by the spring 18 into engagement with one arm of a bell crank lever 19 controlled by a spring 20, and having an arm 21 lying in th path of the teeth 6. its the rack 1 aneed through the space of one tooth by the action of the pawl 7. one of the teeth the arm 21 or" the bell crank lever rocks the latter, hereby rocking the her 16 aejainst the action of the spring 9. until the arm stops over the top oi the tooth. whereupon the striker i6 is actuated by the spring 18 and the lever 15) rot e to orie'inal position readv "or on." eei't ent by the next tooth 6.

arried on the ivot 17 of t rike 6 is a spring loaded pawl 23 e ...pted t be engaged successively by three equizlis tantly spaced teeth 24 formed on a rack 25 mounted to rock on a fixed pivot 26 under the control of a spring 27. The rack 25 is also formed with three equidistantly spaced teeth 28 adapted to engage and 0p erate a spring loaded pawl 29 carried by a pivoted striker 30 having an actuating spring 31.

The rack 25 has an arm 32 and is normally urged inwardly by the spring 27 to bring the arm 32 into engagement with a stepped cam 33. A lateral projection 25 is formed on the rack 25 and is adapted to be engaged by a in 25 on the rack 1, wherebv the rack 25 is caused to move outwardly with the rack 1 after the last tooth 6 has passed the arm 21.

The stepped cam 33 is driven by the timepiece so that it moves synchronously with the minute hand of the latter and has a pin 34 adapted to actuate a star wheel 35 fast on the shaft of the stepped cam 5, a spring loaded pawl 36 acting to hold the star wheel in any one of a number of definite positions.

- These parts are similar in construction and operation to those used in many well known forms of striking mechanism for timepieces and need not therefore be described in detail. It is sufiicient to state that the inward movement of the rack 1 is limited by the stepped cam 5 so that its subsequent outward movement will actuate the striker 16 once for every complete hour indicated by the hour hand of a timepiece, and that the inward movement of the rack 25 is similarly limited by the stepped cam 33 so that its subsequent outward movement will actuate the strikers 16 and 30 once for every complete quarter of an hour indicated by the minute hand of the timepiece.

In order to enable the racks 1 and 25 to be held normally in their outward positions, a locking member 37 is provided which is adapted to slide on fixed pins 38 working in slots 39 in the locking member. This locki 7 member is provided with a projection 40 a ra a depending arm 41 and is urged by a spring 42 into the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the lever 8 is locked in the depressed position by the projection 40, and in which the pawl 12 is held in an inoperative position by the engagement of its tail by the fin er 41. The locking member 37 is provi ed with a finger piece 43 whereby it may be shifted by hand into the position shown in Fig. 2 and the parts are so arranged and proportioned that during this movement the release of the pawl 12 will not take place until after the arm 8 has been released. An arm 44 formed on the locking member 37 is adalpted to be engaged in the osition shown in ig. 2 by a spring loaded atch 45. This latch is formed with a cam face 46 which is adapted to be engaged by a projection 47 on the-rack, the projection 47 being adapted to looking member 37 to the left (as seen in the drawings) by means of the finger piece 43, and brings the locking member into the position shown in Fi 2, in which osition the arm 44 is automat cally enga ed y the latch 45. This movement of the locking member releases the lever 8 and aw] 12 so that the awl 7 on the lever 8 is isenga'ged from the rack 1 whilst the pawl 12 is brought into eligagement with the rack 1. As the disengagement of the awl 7 takes place before the gageinent oi the pawl 12, as hereinbefore stated, the racks 1 and 25 move inwardl under the action of the springs 3 and 2;, before the pawl 12 becomes 0' rative so that the arts now assume t e position shown in ig. 2.

The user now repeatedly depresses the knob 9, rocking the lever 8 about its pivot and thereby advancing the rack 1 outwardly step by step. This movement of the rack-'1 operates the striker 16 through the bell crank lever 19 so that the striker is actuated once for every depression of the knob 9, until the last tooth 6 passes the arm 21. As explained above, the original inward movement of the rack 1 is limited by the engagement of the arm 4 with the stepped cam 5 so that the subsequent outward movement of the rack 1 operates 'the striker 16 once for every complete hour of the time indicated by the timepiece. When therefore the last tooth 6 has passed the arm 21, the hour of the day has been indicated by the strokes of the striker 16.

As the user continues the repeated depression of the knob 9, the continued outward movement of the rack 1 has no effect, until the pin 25 on the rack 1 engages the projec tion 25 on the rack 25, whereupon the rack 25 is moved outwardly step by step with rack 1, until it reaches the sition shown in Fig. 2. The original inward movement of the rack 25 is limited by the stepped cam 33 as hereinbefore stated, so that the subsequent outward movement of the rack operates the strikers 16 and 30 to ether once for every complete quarter of an our indicated by the timepiece.

When the racks 1 and 25 reach the positionshown in Fig. 1, the projection 47011 the rack 1 rocks the latch 45 by engagement with the surface 46 thus Teleasin the lockin member 37, which is then moved by its spring 42 into the position shown in Fig. 1. This movement of the member 37 rocks the pawl 12 by engagement o'f the. finger 41 with the tail 15, and when the lever 8 reaches the position shown in 1, the projection 10 engages and locks the lever. The parts are thus brought into the rest position shown in Fig. 1.

By releasing the locking member 37, the user can now repeat the operations describtal above, and this can be done as often as do sired. It will thus be seen that the user can ascertain the time by operating the mechanism and counting the strokes node by the strikers 1G and 30 whenever I desires.

Although I have described but one embodiment of my invention, it will readily be appreciated that many detailed IHOCllilCtitions could be made without departing fro the spirit of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that 1 do not propose li1niting myself to the exact construction and operation above described and particularly that I do not limit myself to the specific periods of time described as being indicated by the strokes of the strikers 16 and 30, but may vary these to suit requirements.

I claim 2- 1. In a repeater mechanism for timepieces, a toothed rack movable towards an outward position, hand actuated means for advancing said rack toward its outward position step by step, striking mechanism actu ated by the step by step movement of said rack, a locking member movable to engage and lock said hand actuated means when said rack reaches its outward position, said locking member being movable by hand into inoperative position for disengaging said hand actuated means, yielding means urging said rack inwardly, means for freeing said rack for inward movement when said locking member is moved to inoperative po sition and means controlled by the timepiece for limiting the inward movement oi? said rack.

2. Repeat-er mechanism for timepieces according to claim 1 including a second toothed rack movable towards an outward position, yielding means urging said second rack inwardly, means controlled by the time piece for limiting the inward movement oi s:.id second rack, striking mechanism actuated by said second rack and an operative connection between said second rack and said first mentioned rack.

33. In a repeater mechanism for timepieces, a toothed rack movable from an inward position to an outward position, means controlled by the timepiece for determining said inward position, a hand actuated ratchct device co-cperating with the teeth of said rack for advancing said rack outwardly, said device being movable from an advanced position to a retracted position in which it clears the path of the teeth of said rack, striking mechanism actuated by said rack, a spring urging said rack inwardly, means normally preventing inward movement of said rack an hand actuated ans {or treeiugsaid rack for u d movement.

4;. la a repeater uizchamsm for timepiec a. toothed rack movable troi'n an i wart position to an out rd position, mes: rontralled by the timepiece for deter i s; 'd inward position, hand actuated for advancing from said u said rack ition to said outward position, step by step, striking mechanism actuated by the ate; by step moven'ient of said rack, a second toothed rack also movable l n an inv'ard position to an outward position, means c ntrolled by the timepiece to? determining said inward position, lost motion connection between said second rack and said first mentioned rack for advancing said second k step by step, and striking mechanism actuated by the step by step movement of said second rack.

In a repeater mechanism for timepieces a toothed rack movable towards an outward position, a spring for urging said rack inwardly, hand actuated ratchet device for advancing said rack outwardly, a pawl for preventing inward movement of said rack, stril-iing mechanism actuated said rack, hand actuated locking member having a locking position and a release position and means on said locking member for retracting said pawl and locking said ratchet device when said locking member is in the locking position.

6. A repeater mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said locking member has a locking position and a release position, including a spring for urging said locking member towards locking position, a latch for holding said locking member in release position and means on said rack for releasing said latch.

'7. In a repeater mechanism for timepieces, a rack movable towards an outward position, a spring urging said rack inward- 1y, means controlled by the timepiece for limiting the inward movement 01"? said rack, a hand actuated ratchet device cooperating with the teeth of said rack ior advancing said rack outwardly, said device being movable from an advanced position to a retracted position in which it clears the path of the teeth of said rack, a pawl for preventing inward movement of said rack, striking mechanism actuated by said rack, a hand actuated locking member having a locking position and a release position, means on said locking member for locking said ratchet device in the advanced position when said locking device is in the locking position, means on said locking member for rendering said pawl inoperative until after said ratchet device is released, a spring urging said ratchet device towards the retracted position, a spring urging said locking men her toward the locking position, a latch for striking mechanism by said second rack, a 10 spring urgin said second rack inwardly, means controfled by the time piece for limiting the inward movement of said rack, and a lost motion connection between said sec-- ond rack and said first mentioned rack for 16 advancing said second rack outwardly.

JACOB VOLPO. 

